"We did fight like mad to get him" - Arsene Wenger claims he fought to sign current Arsenal star

Former Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has claimed that he tried to sign now-Gunners skipper Martin Odegaard when he made his breakthrough as a teenager. The Norway international emerged as one of the most coveted footballers on the planet at a very young age, having made his debut as a 15-year-old for Stromsgodset back in 2014.

The technically gifted attacking midfielder quite naturally attracted the attention of the biggest clubs in Europe. He was invited to train at almost every top club across Europe, including Arsenal, but it was Real Madrid who managed to land the Norwegian prodigy.

Arsene Wenger, who was in charge of Arsenal back then, admitted that Odegaard looked special even as a teenager. He also insisted that the Gunners tried hard to sign the 25-year-old but could have tried harder.

The Frenchman said, as quoted by Metro:

"Yes, I remember him (Odegaard) very well. We did fight like mad to get him. I got him in a training session and I remember Steve Morrow brought him into training with his father."

Wenger also claimed that Odegaard's technical qualities reminded him of former Arsenal skipper Cesc Fabregas, adding:

"He reminded me of Fabregas, good vision, good technical quality, and easy with professional players in the first team. You could see something special there but in the end, he has chosen to go to Real Madrid."

Odegaard joined Real Madrid in 2015 and will probably look back at his decision with regret. He did not get the opportunity to shine at the Santiago Bernabeu despite impressing on loan at clubs like Heerenveen, Vitesse, Real Sociedad, and Arsenal.

He joined the Gunners permanently in the summer of 2021 in a deal worth €40 million after a six-month loan spell. The Norway international has established himself as a key player at the north London club and has also been serving as their captain since 2022.

Odegaard, who also captains Norway, has made 134 appearances for the Gunners to date, having scored 34 goals and provided 21 assists. The midfield star has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists in 38 appearances across competitions this season.

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Arsenal skipper hails two teammates for their exceptional showings this season

Arsenal captain Martin Odegaard waxed lyrical about the defensive duo of Gabriel Magalhaes and William Saliba for their consistent performances throughout the season.

The 25-year-old claimed that the partnership between the two defenders has been a key reason behind the Gunners' rise in the Premier League table.

"They're massive, they've been so good the whole season how they defend their box, how they fight and win the duels and all these things. It's unbelievable. It's something we do as a whole team. We defend together, and we attack together. But, yeah, they have been amazing," Odegaard said.

Mikel Arteta's are embroiled in a fierce three-horse title race with Liverpool and Manchester City this season after narrowly missing out on the title last season.

The north London giants have conceded the least number of goals this season (24) while also scoring the most number of goals (72).